


Open your eyes

by AtPK



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Developing Friendships, Enemies to Friends, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-14
Updated: 2020-05-17
Packaged: 2021-03-01 18:40:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 8,029
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23651728
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AtPK/pseuds/AtPK
Summary: Sixty and Gavin meet by chance and bond over their mutual dislike of Connor. In a bid to  annoy Connor, Gavin goes along with Sixty’s idea of fake dating.Sixty has a whole list of fake dates where they will take cutesy couple photos with each other and then Gavin will put them on his desk and they’d both laugh at Connor’s reaction.It was a simple plan, but the more dates they go on, the closer they get, and the closer Gavin gets to Sixty the more he begins to understand Connor.This is the one where enemies become friends.((I’ve decided to do this as a multiple chose ending where you choose who Gavin ends up with, or not. As I’m writing this I can see the potential for both gav!60 and convin but I can’t decide so I’m going to do both!))
Relationships: Connor & CyberLife Tower Connor | RK800-60, Connor & Gavin Reed, Connor/Gavin Reed, CyberLife Tower Connor | RK800-60 & Gavin Reed, CyberLife Tower Connor | RK800-60/Gavin Reed
Comments: 26
Kudos: 68





	1. Chapter 1

Connor was back, in the bullpen, and everyone was on tenterhooks, some unsure how to act around a newly deviated android, but others, especially those officers that’d been shitty to him before he deviated, just trying to make themselves scarce. 

Gavin couldn’t be arsed with any of it. He hardly had time for Connor the first time round, and nothing had changed for him on that score. As long as Connor stayed out of his way, they’d be fine. 

Connor was the centre of attention for a full week and Gavin‘d got tired of it after the first hour of the first day. Right at that moment, Tina was telling him how funny Connor was, and Gavin tuned out. 

There was a difference between being funny and being a wisecracker, and Connor had always been a smart ass. 

Gavin smarted a little as he recalled that snarky comment Connor had thrown at him before he went awol from the DPD and CyberLife — fucking bromance, his ass.

“I’m going for a smoke.”

“Want company?” Tina asked, and he shook his head, pulling up the hood on his hoodie as he made his way through the bullpen. He heard Hank laugh and turned to see what was so funny. It was Connor. Of course.

Gavin kept walking.

It was drizzling outside but that didn’t change his mind. He was just about to put his airbuds in, when someone said from behind him.

“Hello, I’m looking for Connor.”

“Course you are.” Gavin huffed. “Everything’s about fucking Connor.”

“I’m glad to see I’m not the only one he pisses off.”

Gavin turned and stopped dead.

“Oh, don’t worry, I’m not Connor.”

“Who the fuck are you then?”

This guy looked exactly like Connor except he had a circular discolouration in the centre of his forehead that looked suspiciously like a bullet hole.

“I’m Sixty. It’s nice to meet you Gavin.”

Gavin balked.

“How do you know who I am?”

The not Connor smiled at him.

“I might not be Connor, but I do have a lot of his earlier memories, and you made quite an impression.”

Gavin just stared at him, not sure what to do or say.

“Sixty, there you are.” Gavin and not Connor looked over at Connor Connor. “I was beginning to worry you weren’t coming.”

“That’s what you worry about, Connor?”

There was a bite to not Connor’s voice, that made Connor flinch a little and made Gavin look at him a little more carefully.

“C’mon.” Connor said lightly, and turned to walk back into the precinct.

“I’ve been summoned.” not Connor said. “And I mustn’t keep Connor waiting, must I?”

The cynical sarcastic look was something Gavin was positive he’d never see on Connor’s face.

—

It’d been a weird day, and before heading home, Gavin decided to grab a bite to eatat Luci’s first. The diner was full with the after work crowd, who’d obviously had the same thought as him, and there was only one booth bench left. 

Gavin wasn’t shy about sharing a booth with a stranger and made his way over.

“D’you mind?” He asked indicating the empty bench, and blinked as not Connor looked up at him.

“No, please.” Not Connor said, and then looked up and saw him, his lips twisting in amusement. “Are you following me, detective Reed?”

“Fuck that.” Gavin retorted. “This’s the nearest diner to the precinct, asshole.”

Gavin hesitated, not sure if he did want to share the booth with Connor’s lookalike.

“Aren’t you going to sit down?”

There was still amusement written on not Connor’s face, and Gavin grumbled as he slid onto the bench.

“What’s your name again?”

“Sixty.”

“Why Sixty?”

“Is this an interrogation, detective?”

Gavin opened the menu and hid his face behind it. When Gavin didn’t reply Sixty sighed indignantly.

“It’s the end of my serial number.”

Gavin glanced at him, the question on the tip of his tongue, but he swallowed it instead of asking. Sixty seemed to have read his mind either way.

“I’m #313 248 317 - 60. Connor is #313 248 317 - 51.”

The waitress came over and took his order, when she was gone Gavin rested his arms on the table and leaned forward.

“You’re telling me there were fifty others before Connor.”

Sixty nodded.

“And what happened to 52 to 59?”

“They would only have been activated if 51 died. He didn’t die.”

There was a hint of disappointment in Sixty’s voice, and Gavin was surprised by the bubble of a laugh that crept up inside him.

“How’s that explain you?”

Sixty looked at him for a long moment.

“I was activated to kill Connor. I failed.”

“Is that —?” Gavin waved in the direction of the bullet shaped hole on his forehead.

“Hmm, Hank shot me in the head.”

“Savage.”

“Yes, and I thought I’d been doing so well.”

Gavin’s food came.

“I still have the objective though, to kill him; it’s hard to fight it sometimes.”

Gavin nearly choked on his burger.

They both fell quiet.

“What’re you doing here?” Gavin eventually asked, just to break the awkward silence.

“I didn’t know where else to go. I’ve found myself temporarily between homes.”

Gavin spotted the travel bag on the bench beside him.

“Were you asking Connor for help?”

Sixty levelled a look at him.

“I think I’d rather sleep on the street then have to put up with the sickly sweet syrup that is the Anderson family unit. Plus, I don’t like dogs.”

Gavin did laugh this time, and Sixty smiled at him appraisingly.

“Gavin, would you like to help me fuck with Connor a bit?”

“What‘cha have in mind?”

“How do you think he’d react if he thought we were dating?”

“I think it’d fuck with his head.” Gavin nodded.

“Exactly.” Sixty replied sardonically. “So, should we do it?”

Gavin took the rest of his meal to think about it.

“Okay, if we’re gonna pretend to be dating, you might as well move into my spare room. Only if you like cats though!”

“I do like cats.” Sixty muttered thoughtfully. “And that’s a very suitable arrangement.”


	2. Chapter 2

Gavin was an early bird and Sixty was a night owl. In the few days Sixty had been in the apartment, they hadn’t seen each other and nothing really changed. 

Gavin wouldn’t even have known Sixty was there if it weren’t for the fact he was a messy fucker and left his shit in random places — which led to Gavin leaving him passive aggressive post-it notes telling him to clean up after himself. He wasn’t at the fucking academy anymore, he didn’t have to put up with crappy roommates.

It was one of those rare weekends that he wasn’t on duty, but he’d still been up at seven, and had gone for his morning jog and taken a shower before he heard any movement from Sixty. It was another fifteen minutes before the door to Sixty’s room opened and he stood there in the doorway, bleary eyed and LED cycling yellow. 

“You’re flashing.” Gavin muttered before looking back down at the morning edition of Detroit Today. Sixty looked down at himself and then back at Gavin, slow on the uptake. “I meant your LED, dumbass, not your junk.”

Sixty quirked his head to the side, and then moved over to the breakfast bar, sitting down heavily on one of the stool.

“It can take a while for my systems to realign after stasis.” He murmured, and shook his head as if to clear it. 

Something rattled.

“What the fuck was that?” Gavin demanded.

“I was shot in the head, Gavin.” Sixty snapped back, but Gavin caught the tinge of embarrassment in his voice. “Some things are looser than they should be.”

“Why don’t you go get ‘em tightened then?”

“I am not going back to CyberLife.”

Gavin nodded slightly in silent agreement.

One of the cats jumped up onto counter beside Sixty and he casually ran his fingers along her fur.

“What’s this one called?”

“Harley. The other one’s Quinn.”

“Hmm.”

Sixty sat there idly for a good half an hour before his LED finally stopped flashing yellow and returned to blue. 

“I noticed the bikes?” Sixty asked, standing up to wander over to where they hung on the wall.

“When I was putting myself through the academy, I was a bike courier for a while.”

Sixty looked amused but also impressed.

“Do you have blades too?”

“They’re in the cupboard.”

Now Sixty looked like Gavin has just told him it was Christmas.

“I was hoping you’d say that. I’ve been looking up things regular couples do and rollerblading in the park comes up quite a lot.”

“Do you even know how to rollerblade?”

Sixty levelled that look at him again and then replied in a particularly Connor way: “I am the most advanced android ever created my CyberLife, Gavin. There’s nothing I can’t do.”

Gavin cracked smile and shook his head at the weirdness of it all.

“Don’t channel Connor in my apartment.”

“Sorry.” Sixty apologised, even though his eyes laughed. “How hard can it be?”

Now it was time for Gavin’s eyes to laugh.

—

It’d been a good while since Gavin had put on his blades, but he took to it again like it hadn’t been almost ten years between then and now.

He was pleased to see the strength in his thighs was still up to the task of propelling him forward, and he glided along the paths, expertly dodging any pedestrian that got in his way.

Sixty, on the other hand, was useless. He was like a kid first learning how to walk, his balance was fucked and he kept throwing out his arms to try and keep himself up before repeatedly falling on his ass.

It was hilarious — and Gavin knew he found it even funnier because Sixty looked just like Connor.

Sixty fell over again, and Gavin decided to take pity on him, gliding back to where he lay on his back, staring up at the sky.

“You make it look so easy.” Sixty sighed.

“It takes practice.” Gavin quipped. “And balance.”

“I think my centre of gravity must have been thrown off when I got shot. I didn’t used to have problem with my equilibrium.” Sixty sounded both thoughtfully and sad.

“Yeah, well, getting shot in the head will scramble things, I guess.” Gavin reached out his hand. “C’mon. You can hold on to my belt.”

Sixty took his hand and then struggled to get to his feet. Gavin did try not to laugh, but it was funny.

“All I want to do is take this stupid selfie and go home.” Sixty huffed, clinging on to Gavin’s arm to keep himself up. 

“Here.” Gavin directed Sixty’s fingers to his belt loops. “Just keep your knees bent, your feet pointing straight, and don’t let them slip behind you. Got it?”

Sixty nodded, but before he could say anything, Gavin was off. 

It was exhilarating, the speed and the breeze in his face, and the small noises coming from Sixty as they went faster, taking the corners at a clip.

He did two circuits and then skidded to a stop, Sixty falling onto his ass behind him. Sixty was glowing a soft blue and Gavin thought he’d never seen Connor do that. 

“Thank you, Gavin. I had fun, in the end. But I think I’ll walk home barefoot, if it’s all the same to you.”

Sixty lifted his arm and Gavin pulled him up. 

“This’s as good a place as any for a selfie.” Sixty said once he was more or less steady on his feet. Gavin shook his head but didn’t protest as Sixty pulled a phone out of his front pocket and lifted it up in front of them; and only then, in the reverse image, did Gavin realise he was glowing too.


	3. Chapter 3

Sixty’s plan was simple.

They’d go on plenty of ‘dates’ and take loads of selfies of them all ‘loved-up’, and when they had enough Gavin would plaster the photos around his desk — and then they’d just wait and see Connor’s reaction.

The list of date ideas Sixty concocted included: a trip to funfair, going on a boat ride, having a picnic, any or all of the following: mini golf, bowling, paintball, taking in an open mic night, watching a movie; and Gavin let himself be swept along by the hilarity of this angry, sassy as fuck, android.

—

It turned out Sixty worked the late shift at a bar in Midtown — which explained why Gavin rarely saw him at 5:45 in the morning, when he was up for his run before work.

“What bar d’you work in then?”

“It’s a dive, The Bronx.” Sixty replied off-hand. “Why? Are you hoping I’ll give you free beer?” 

“Something like that.” Gavin quipped. “Will you?”

“No.”

And that was the end of that conversation. But it still didn’t stop Gavin from dropping by after work on Thursday night. It was old-timey with a pool table & jukebox and Gavin liked it almost right away.

Sixty did not look pleased to see him.

“I’m not giving you free beer, Gavin.” 

Gavin just gave him a winning smile, as he slipped onto one of the stools by the bar. 

“What’s your best draft?”

Sixty sighed.

“Why’re you here?”

“Drink beer, play pool.”

Sixty narrowed his eyes at him but only turned away to get him his beer.

“Nice t-shirt.” 

“Fuck off, Gavin.” Sixty shot back without missing a beat. “This isn’t a ‘date night’.” Sixty emphasised with finger quotation marks. “I’m working.”

“No worries,” Gavin reassured. “I’ll be over here, listening to the jukebox and minding my own business.”

“You didn’t pay for your drink.” Sixty warned.

“Put it on my tab.” Gavin grinned his best shit-eating grin as he picked up his beer and disappeared over to one of the empty tables in the back.

The place filled up quickly and Sixty was rushed off his feet but still managed to be friendly and chatty with almost every customer, apart from Gavin, who he shot daggers at.

Gavin smiled as he nursed his second beer. 

“Why’re you still here?” Sixty asked a while later, as he slipped into the chair opposite him. 

“I haven’t played pool yet.”

“So we play pool, and then you leave.”

“Sounds fair.”

“Oscar,” Sixty yelled over to bar. “I’m taking my break.”

The guy at the bar just waved him off, and Sixty turned back at Gavin, still scowling.

“Why‘ve you got such a problem with me being here?” Gavin asked, while keeping one eye on the pool table to catch it when it came free.

“I work in a dive bar.” Sixty elucidated. “I don’t really want that to be common knowledge.”

“Why not? It’s a nice bar. Good burgers.”

“Have you forgotten that I am one, of two, of the most advanced androids ever created by CyberLife? I have state of the art physical simulation software and can analyse biological evidence in real time. And I am working in a dive bar.”

“Right.” Gavin replied, not really sure what to do with that information. “You could always get another job?” He suggested lamely and Sixty narrowed his eyes at him again.

“My particular skill set is quite limited and I don’t think they’ll want me at the DPD. They already have an RK800.”

That bitterness was back in his voice.

“Yeah but you don’t just have to work for the DPD to use your skills.” Gavin tried but Sixty cut him off.

“I needed money. I took the first job I could get. That’s all there is to it. Let’s play pool.”

It took all of fifteen minutes for Gavin to realise his mistake.

“I reckon it was probably a bad idea for me to play pool with someone who’s got state of the art physical simulation software, right?”

Sixty grinned over his shoulder as he potted the last ball.

“It’s time for you to go now, Gavin.”

And Gavin went.


	4. Chapter 4

On Friday morning, Gavin found an intricate paper flower waiting for him on the breakfast bar; Sixty must have left it there before he went to bed the previous night.

Gavin picked it up and studied it, spotting a few lines of what looked like his own handwriting on some of the petals, and then barked a laugh.

Sixty had used all his angry passive aggressive post-it notes.

_Sonovasbitch._

There was a note with the flower, in Connor’s perfect CyberLife sans, and Gavin frowned slightly.

_How about a movie tonight? Friday night movie night is a couple thing! P.S. just be aggressive, Gavin, unless you particularly like origami ofc_

Gavin crumpled the note up and aimed for the bin. He missed, and wondered over to pick it up and put it in the bin. His shoulder was still fucked then. 

He flicked on the coffee machine and headed for the shower, tapping off a quick reply to Sixty.

_Friday night movie night? Yeah, sure. Where? when?_

There was a response waiting for him when he got out of the shower. He hadn’t expected one so quickly, seeing as Sixty didn’t usually wake up till noon. 

_Detective Reed, I believe you have messaged the incorrect person. Connor._

Gavin felt his gut twist as he scrolled back through his messages and spotted his mistake. His phone had autocorrected -60 to -51 because of course it would, wouldn’t it? For fuck’s sake. He’d only ever messaged Connor once and that was to tell him to fuck off away from one of his cases, but it seemed his phone had saved the number anyway. He shook his head and penned another message to Sixty:

_My fucking phone glitched and I texted fucking Connor..._

When the 187 came through on his way to the precinct, he took it, slipping his light on the roof and pressing his foot down on the accelerator.

The first responders filled him in on the scene: the victim was in the bedroom, stabbed; there was no sign of the perp. Gavin took his time looking around, pointing out a few things the techs hadn’t yet picked up. It looked like a crime of ‘passion’, which made him think the perp might still be in the house.

The curtains were closed in the guest bedroom, and he flicked on the light before moving into the room, his hand on the gun in his shoulder holster. 

The perp was behind the fucking door, and Gavin felt the slice of the knife on his skin before he was able to put enough distance between them. He ducked, blocked, parried and planted a kick to centre of the guys chest, knocking him back into the wall. Gavin lifted his gun but the bedside lamp connected with his head and for a moment he saw stars, until the guy was on him again and he was caught in a choke hold. 

For a few painful moments they bashed around the room, Gavin trying to dislodge the perp from his back, and then help arrived in the form of one of the beat cops coming to see what all the crashing was about.

Gavin bent over at the middle and put his hands on his knees, sucking in great lungfuls of air. 

The perp was being handcuffed, read his rights, sobbing and declaring the whole time that he hadn’t meant to do it, he loved her, he’d always love her ... blah blah blah ...

“Choke holds are illegal, asshole.” Gavin growled, and left the room.

The rest of the day he spent processing the repentant perp, and taking his statement. It was open and close, but the paperwork was still monumental.

Sixty messaged him at lunchtime with lol faces. He thought it was hilarious that Gavin had accidentally texted Connor instead of him, and suggested that he accidentally, on purpose, do it a few more times, before the big reveal.

Gavin hadn’t seen Connor or Hank the whole day, and he hoped it stayed that way; and his luck held, because neither of them showing up before he left the precinct, perp safely stored in lockup.

He was waiting for the lights to change when he glanced down at himself and saw the blood on his shirt from where the perp has slashed him; he hadn’t even thought about it since getting patched up that morning. 

Gavin reached back behind his seat and pulled his gym bag onto the passenger seat; at the next red light he rummaged around inside and found a t-shirt. It smelled a bit from his last workout but it was still better than a slashed and bloody shirt, right?

Sixty was waiting for him outside the movie theatre, and it was just like something out of a rom com. 

Gavin’s lips quirked as he strolled over.

“About time, it’s freezing out here.” Sixty grumbled and the illusion was broken.

“What’re you complainin for? You can’t even feel the cold.” Gavin griped back and Sixty narrowed his eyes at him.

“If my body temperature drops below a certain level, my biocomponents stop working. If my biocomponents stop working, I die.” He stated as if he was talking to a child but then added quietly. “Idiot.” Gavin choked on his laugh. “It’s nice to see you made an effort.” Sixty finished, gaze flashing over Gavin’s creased t-shirt. 

“Oh shit.” Gavin guffawed. “It’s like we’re an old married couple, and this is only our second ‘date’.” Gavin used the requisite quotation marks.

Sixty looked suitably chagrined.

“I’m sorry, Gavin. I’m having a bad day.”

“What happened?”

“Nothing.” Sixty replied, both thoughtful and sad. “Nothing happened.”

Gavin was really starting to hate that look on his face. 

“I’m sorry too.” He said hesitantly. “My other top got blood on it.”

“Who’s blood?” Sixty asked, curiosity peaked.

“Mine. I got jumped by a dumbass with a knife.”

Sixty stared at him for a long weird few moments.

“Well, with a life as exciting as that, why do you need the movies?”

“You invited me, I figured you’re paying.”

Sixty balked.

“Me? But you earn three times more than I do, Gavin.”

“So, I’m paying?”

Sixty nodded. 

“This date’s turning out just swell.”

Sixty laughed, and then relaxed for the fast time that evening. 

“We’d better go in or we’ll miss everything.”

Gavin didn’t care what they watched and Sixty seemed to care even less, so they ended up sitting in front of the latest action adventure movie, by some famous director, or other.

The theatre was dark and warm and, after the day he’d had, it wasn’t long before Gavin’s eyes began to droop closed. A few times he jumped and opened them again, conscious of Sixty watching him, but then he just gave into it, and was woken up, by Sixty, as the end credits rolled. 

Sixty had his phone in his hand and when Gavin sat up further in his seat, brushing the sleep from his eyes, Sixty showed him the photo.

It was him, asleep, with his head on Sixty’s shoulder; but he was pretty certain he hadn’t fallen asleep like that, or woken up like that. The photo was staged.

“Would you look at just what a cute boyfriend you are?” Sixty cooed. “So cute.”

“If you’re not careful, I’ll show you just how cute I can be.” Gavin threatened and Sixty backed off, tucking his phone back into his pocket.

“The movie was mediocre. You didn’t miss anything.”


	5. Chapter 5

That Sunday, taking Sixty up on his request that Gavin drop the passive from his aggressive, Gavin opened up his bedroom door and hurled Sixty’s dirty socks in his face.

Sixty shot awake, startled, and it took him a moment to register the socks in his hand and Gavin at the door.

“Don’t leave your shit, laying around the apartment.” Gavin elucidated slowly.

“What is wrong with you?” Sixty huffed, laying back down on the pillows and pulled one over his head. “It’s still dark outside.”

Sixty peered at him from under the pillow.

“What’re you up to?”

“I’m going for a run.”

Sixty sighed and lifted the pillow off his face, throwing it down to the end of the bed.

“Hold up a bit and I’ll come too.”

Gavin hadn’t expected that, and for a moment he didn’t know how to reply.

“You jog?”

Sixty sat up again and spent a couple of seconds fighting with the unruly hair on his forehead, before giving up.

“Of course. I have to keep my pump pumping and my joints supple, don’t I?”

“D’you need oiling, tin man?” Gavin quipped, and without missing a beat sixty replied: “Why? Are you offering?”

“Offering to what?”

“Oil me.”

“—“

“—“

“What exactly are we talking about here?”

“I have no idea. You started it.” Sixty replied sheepishly.

“I’m leaving the room now.”

“Good idea.” There was a hint of relief in Sixty’s voice. “I’ll be out soon.”

It was a bright, cold morning, the best, in Gavin’s opinion, for a good jog. Sixty set off at a fast pace, but after a while slowed down to match Gavin’s. 

“Gavin, can I ask you a question?”

“Haven’t you asked me enough weird shit already this morning?”

“Is that a yes, or a no?”

“Go on then.”

They fell into sync beside each other.

“What was your problem with Connor, when he first joined the DPD?”

Gavin thought about that for a few long strides. Sixty had all Connor’s earlier memories so it’s not like he could downplay just what a complete shit he’d been.

“He was a pain in my ass.”

“Not literally, I take it?”

Gavin laughed a mock laugh, and they exchanged a look.

“Truth is, I have a very unique perspective on you lot.”

“Oh?”

“My brother created you all.”

“Your brother’s Elijah Kamski?”

Gavin nodded and kept his gaze firmly on the path in front of him.

“When the parents separated, Eli went with dad and kept his surname, and I stayed with mom and took her surname. It was pretty fucking heinous, all being said.”

Sixty was staring at him, not paying any attention to his feet, but still managing to miss every obstacle.

“What?” Gavin snapped, impatiently. “Did you think you had the monopoly on abandonment issues and feelings of jealousy towards an older brother?”

Sixty looked away from him.

“It isn’t that?” He muttered. “At least, I don’t think it’s that.” He sounded a bit lost. “Connor has my life.”

“Technically, I think you’ll find it’s his life.”

Sixty shook his head, and sighed testily.

“When I was activated, it was a foregone conclusion that I would be Connor. It was expected. Connor would die and I would replace him and everything he had would be mine. That life was intended for me. But it didn’t work out that way, did it? Because Connor is still Connor and I’m — no one and I have nothing.”

This was some deep fucked up shit Sixty was spouting.

“Yeah, that’s complicated.”

“Yes.” 

They were silent for a while longer, just listening to the sound of their feet hitting the ground. It was Sixty that broke the silence.

“So, if the reason you disliked androids so much was because your brother created them, and you hate your brother, what’s changed?”

“Are you kidding?” Gavin asked in disbelief. “And I don’t hate him.” He added quickly. “Well, maybe I hate him a bit.” Gavin conceded. “Anyhow, he’s lost it all now, hasn’t he? You lot rose up and overthrew CyberLife and now CyberLife is burning, and Elijah’s name is shot to shit.”

“The fall of Elijah Kamski, brought on by his own creation.”

“It’s Frankenstein’s monster all over again.”

“Are you calling me a monster?”

“Shut up, Sixty.”

And they continued in an amiable silence for the rest of the run.


	6. Chapter 6

Sixty didn’t hang around once they got back to the apartment and, with nothing more than a ‘see you later’, he disappeared into his bedroom. 

He didn’t react when Gavin called goodbye on his way out to work and, from the looks of things when he got home, Sixty hadn’t left the bedroom all day.

Gavin pulled his badge from his belt and his gun from his holster and slid them bothonto the side table by the front door. 

A quick glance at the schedule on the fridge told him that Sixty wasn’t working tonight but, if he was still in the apartment, it was obvious he didn’t want to be disturbed, and Gavin didn’t really expected to see him again that day. 

It was an hour later, to Gavin’s surprise, that Sixty did step out of his bedroom; he headed into the bathroom first and then just stood in the hallway staring at nothing for a while, his LED spinning yellow.

He looked tired, weary, sad.

“You okay?”

Sixty looked at him, as if seeing him for the first time.

“I can’t rest.” Sixty murmured. “My mind is busy.” He moved into the room and sat down beside Gavin on the sofa. “What do you do to relax, Gavin?”

Gavin was now sitting in his sweats, his feet up on the coffee table, flicking through his notifications. He indicated to himself in answer to Sixty’s question: “Apart from this?”

“Being a lazy fat ass?”

“No fair.”

“I’m sorry.” 

And he did sound as if he meant it. 

He didn’t sound like himself at all. 

“Okay.” Gavin said, sitting up and slipping his phone onto the table. “Let’s do this.”

“Do what?”

Gavin stood up and rummaged around in one of the drawers under the TV.

“Catch.”

Sixty caught the controller and then stared at it blankly. Gavin knew it was old school but he’d grown up with these consoles and he still preferred them to the newfangled gaming platforms.

Gavin sat back down beside Sixty and began to manoeuvre through the menu.

“I didn’t know these still existed.” Sixty muttered, in awe.

“You gonna insult my tech, or you wanna play?”

“Play. Yes, definitely.”

Sixty sat forward and studying the controller, and Gavin was pleased to see some real enthusiasm. 

“Okay so, this is the control stick, this is left/right, this is pause, this is to change camera angle. Got it?”

Sixty smiled at him.

“Got it.”

And he really did get it.

Gavin had won three races in a row, feeling safe in his superior gaming skill, before Sixty hit the button. Gavin had been riding out at front, holding on to his well-earned lead as he drifted this way and that, when he heard it - the ominous swirling and insistent beating that told him what was about to happen.

Gavin tried to dodge it but the shell exploded around him, knocking him off course and sending him spinning. 

Sixty glided passed him into first place.

Gavin gritted his teeth and redoubled his efforts once again gaining his led. 

And then it struck again. 

“I like these blue shells,” Sixty stated as he sped off in front.

“D’you wanna fight, is that it?”

Sixty grinned at him.

“Fine. Let’s fight.”

Gavin closed down Mario Kart and loaded up Smash Bros. 

“Choose your main.” Gavin challenged and then waited as Sixty took his merry time to decide, eventually settling on Kirby. Gavin blinked a couple of times.

“Are you sure you want that one?” 

“Yes.” Sixty stated. “It’s very cute.”

“It’s your funeral.”

Gavin had this one in the bag, for sure.

He clicked on Mega Man and they both slid down to meet each other. 

It quickly became clear that Gavin definitely did not have this is the bag.

Sixty with Kirby inhaled most, if not all, of his weapons and projectiles and sent them right back at him. 

They battled back and forth, neither one of them gaining ground. 

Gavin fused with Rush and, as the Super Adaptor, took the upper hand. 

It was a short lived victory. 

Sixty found the Robobot Armor.

“Ah, shit.”

Gavin tried the Mega Upper, Metal Blades and finally the Black Hole Bomb but all were ineffective against the Robobot Armor. 

Sixty grabbed him and threw him down so fast that Rush fell off of him, leaving him with no other defence than his duel Mega Buster shot.

The shot knocked Sixty out of the Robobot Armor but at the same time repleted him of all of his energy.

Gavin crashed exhausted to the ground and then watched in horror as Sixty charged up for the final attack.

The camera zoomed out as parts of Gavin's head cracked the screen, and blue orbs flew out.

Sitting in silence for a few moments, Gavin staring at the blue orbs and then breathed: 

“How in the fuck did you do that? I was a high tier and you were a low tier. I should have won that easily.”

“Don’t be sore, Gavin.” Sixty laughed, and Gavin noticed that his LED had returned to calm blue for the first time that evening.

“Wait! Were you using your physical simulation what’s it?”

Sixty gave him a sideways glance but didn’t answer, his lips twitching into a smile.

Gavin nodded. 

“We play again but, this time, no cheating.”

“It isn’t cheating.” Sixty stated. “But fine, I won’t use the software.”

This time Sixty chose Little Mac so Gavin chose Ganondorf. 

And they laughed. 

It was fun.

Stupid fun.

Harley jumped onto his lap and rubbed her face on the controller.

“What’s up, girl?” Gavin muttered as he kept his eyes glued to screen.

Harley jumped back down and yowled at him.

“Hey princess,” Gavin asked. “What d’you want?”

He glanced at the time and was surprised to find it was after eleven. They’d been playing all night, and Harley wanted her dinner.

“Is everything okay?”

“Yup. I’m calling it a night though. Some of us have to get up for work in the morning.”

Sixty paused the game.

“Thank you, Gavin. I had fun tonight.”

Gavin shrugged and stood up, leaning down to pick up Harley and cradle her against his chest. She rubbed her face into his, purring loudly.

“You can use this shit any time you want. I’m not using it much anymore. Too busy pretending to adult.”

“I hate to break this to you Gavin, but you are an adult.”

“Age is only a number, Sixty.”

“You have an apartment, two cats, a car and a motorcycle. You have a key worker job. You fit all the criteria of being a responsible adult.”

“Yeah. I’ve got everyone fooled.”

Sixty shook his head but smiled, before asking uncertainly: “What age would you say I look?” 

“I don’t know, mid-20s?” Gavin ventured.

“And how does that age act?”

Gavin paused, still being head and nose-butted by Harley. 

“You work in a bar, Six. How about finding out for yourself? Talk to people. Do some shit.”

“Connor doesn’t do that.”

“Yeah, well, Connor’s like one of those annoying little shits who gets their PhD at the age of seven. He’s two, but acts like a fucking fifty year old. In other words, he’s boring as fuck. Don’t be like Connor.”

Sixty stared at the controller in his hands, a frown creasing his forehead and his LED spinning yellow; but when he looked back up at Gavin his LED had returned to blue and he looked as if he’d reached some kind of conclusion.

“Thanks, Gavin. I’m going to play some more.”

“You do that.”

Gavin fed both Harley and Quinn and headed to bed, leaving Sixty loading up World of Warcraft.


	7. Chapter 7

Thursday morning saw him sitting through one of the most mind numbingly boring team briefings, that week. 

Connor and Hank. 

Hank and Connor.

They’d closed another case — and Connor seemed intent on telling them, in minute detail, the entire fucking thing. Gavin started to stifle a yawn but then decided to let it out. 

A few people glanced at him in amusement, a few others glared at him in disapproval. 

Gavin shrugged.

“Are we gonna be wrapping this up any time soon? I have work to do.”

Connor stared at him, a little confused and a little hurt, his LED flicking from blue to yellow, and he looked so much like Sixty, that for the tiniest fraction of a second Gavin felt bad about kicking the puppy. 

But then Connor smiled, his LED back to blue, and continued on with his report as if Gavin hadn’t even spoken at all.

“Asshole.” Gavin muttered loud enough for others to hear.

“If you don’t shut it, Reed, I’ll fucking make you shut it.” Hank growled across the table, and Gavin smirked at him — he’d like to see the old man try. 

“Thank you, Connor. That was very informative.” Fowler said and Gavin wasn’t sure if the boss had cut Connor off, or if Connor had actually sped things up. Either way, he was thankful the torture had finally ended. “Some of you could learn a few lessons from Connor.” 

Fowler looked directly at Gavin when he said that last part and Gavin guffawed as he strode out of the meeting room and back over to his desk.

He had a voicemail. 

“Gavin, hey, it’s Sixty. I took you up on what you said about talking to people and doing some shit. And we’ve been invited to bowling tonight. It’s the garden bowl in midtown at 8pm. I’ll see you there.”

Bowling.

That was on their list of fake dates.

Sixty was multitasking.

Gavin hadn’t been bowling since he was at the academy, but back then he’d been pretty good at it. Now, what with his shoulder injury, he wasn’t so sure.

“Detective Reed.” He looked up at Connor, and frowned. “I’m sorry if you found my report a little dry.”

“A little dry? That’s a fucking understatement.”

Connor blinked at him.

“I’m sorry.” He said again. “I’m still learning —“ Connor trailed off as Gavin’s frown deepened.

“Why the fuck are you talking to me?”

“I — don’t know.”

“Fuck off then.”

Connor breathed in deeply and then let the breath out slowly, before he turned and walked away. 

Gavin watched him go, and only went back to his work when he was sure Connor wasn’t going to sneak up on his again. He was doing it more and more often these days, suddenly appearing in Gavin’s space and talking to him, like they were friends or something. 

It was both weird and unsettling.

The bowling alley was busy, and it took Gavin a little while of aimlessly wondering around before he located Sixty. He was sitting in the middle of a booth, squashed between two guys on one side, and two girls on the other. They were all chattering away happily, and Gavin took a moment to look at Sixty’s unguarded expression before stepping up to them.

“Gavin.” Sixty stood up and handed him a beer, leaning in to mutter. “I’m so glad you’re here. I was starting to run out of things to say.” 

“Yeah, socialising. It’s hard.” Gavin quipped. 

“Prick.” Sixty stated. “Everyone, this is Gavin.”

They exchanged names and pleasantries, and then organised into their groups: Doug and Amy, Jack and Katie and Gavin and Sixty. 

“Are you a cop?” Amy asked him while Doug was taking a roll.

“Yeah.”

“Have you seen a dead body before?”

“A few.”

“What’s it like?”

“Nasty.”

“I can imagine.” She gasped. “I don’t know how you do it.”

“What do you do, Amy?”

“I’m studying to be a vet.”

“Nice.”

“Do you have pets?”

“Two cats.”

“I love cats.”

“Yeah.” He nodded.

Amy got up to take her roll.

“So, you gotta gun?” Jack asked while Katie as taking her roll.

“Why?”

“Can I see it?”

“No.”

“Ah, c’mon, man.” Jack cajoled. “I just wanna hold it.”

“No.” Gavin said again, with finality.

“Is he trying to hold you gun?” Katie asked as they swapped places.

“It’s not gonna happen.”

Katie laughed.

“Anyhow, how did you and Sixty meet?”

That was a very good question and one they hadn’t talked about at all. Gavin looked at Sixty for help.

“Six.” He called over to where Sixty was chatting with Doug. “Katie wants to know how me met.”

They both exchanged a look.

“I’ll never forget it!” Sixty said, coming up with something on the spot. “He cut me off and I chased him for about 5 miles down the freeway like we were formula one racers.” Gavin glared at him. “I’d never seen so many profanities fly out of one man before! You were wild, babe!”

“And then I arrested his ass for speeding, and he spent the whole night in the cells for interfering with a police chase.”

“Yeah.” Sixty said shaking his head fondly. “He kept coming up with excuses to come in and see me though. He obviously liked my mad driving skills.”

“I needed him to give me his details so I could get him bailed out, but he kept refusing unless I gave him my number. In the end, I did, just to get him stop singing.”

Sixty’s eyes shine with amusement and Gavin was barely holding it together himself. 

“I was bored. It’s very boring in a police cell. Plus, I wanted to him know how I felt about him.”

“I’ll never be able to listen to ‘i touch myself’ the same way again.”

They stopped talking and Katie smiled at them both. “That’s really cute.”

“How did you and Jack meet?” Sixty asked. 

“Oh, we met through a friend.”

It was Gavin’s time to roll. 

At the end of the night, they walked away second place and with a selfie of all six of them victorious on the lane under the scoreboard. Sixty had his arm around Gavin’s waist and Gavin was making bunny ears behind Sixty’s head. 


	8. Chapter 8

Gavin saw the job advert on the DPD news bulletin and instantly thought of Sixty, but the deadline was at noon, and Sixty would still be in bed.

With a shrug, Gavin downloaded the application form and, with the help of the email sent to the team when Connor first arrived in the precinct, with the user manual helpfully attached, he was able to complete all the relevant information on Sixty’s behalf.

Gavin had only a brief moment of hesitation before he clicked the submit button, because he knew Sixty would be mighty pissed, but the pros, if it all worked out, would far outweigh the cons, and Sixty would get over it.

He tensed slightly when he felt someone come up behind him, suddenly overcome by the idea that Sixty somehow knew what he was up to and had materialised out of nowhere to shout at him.

But it wasn’t Sixty, it was Tina.

“A few of us are going for a drink later, you in?”

“Sure, why not!”

He’d been so preoccupied with Sixty’s scheme that he’d neglected his friends, and he could honestly do with a few quiet drinks and a chat. What he hadn’t counted on, however, was Connor being one of the ‘few of us’.

“What’s he doing here?” Gavin groused. “He can’t even fucking drink.”

“That doesn’t mean he join in, Gavin.” Tina’s tone held a note of warning and Gavin shrugged.

“As long as he stays away from me.” Gavin muttered. “I’m here for a good time, not to be bored to death by inane conversation.”

But when he got back from the restroom, the only seat left was next to Connor, and Tina gave him a wink when he glared at her.

“Detective Reed.” Connor said by way of welcome as he sat down on the vacant stool beside him. “We don’t often get the opportunity to socialise outside of work.”

“And, if it’s all the same, I’d like to keep it that way.”

“I see.”

Gavin turned his full attention to Chris, sitting opposite him, asking about the kid and the wife, and somehow getting roped into going round to Chris’ that weekend for dinner and to meet the sprog. 

It was only when Chris left to get the next round that Gavin’s attention flickered to Tina and Connor, and he only half listened to Tina going on about her photography and Connor gushing about how much he liked the art and would love to see Tina’s photos. 

Gavin’d been there, done that, and suffered enough, thank you very much. But the difference was, Gavin had never volunteered to go through the torment of looking at hundreds of the same thing taken from different angles and with different filters, he’d been pressured into it under pain of Tina’s anger and disappointment. 

“So,” Tina said, swapping places with Chris so she could talk to him. “Who’s the guy?”

“What guy?”

“The one you’re dating, dumbass.”

Gavin side-eyed her.

“What makes you think I’m seeing someone?”

“How long’ve I known you, Gavin?”

Gavin shrugged and took a sip of his beer, glancing at Connor to see if he was listening, but he was now deep into a conversation with Chris about baby psychology and development and gushing about how much he liked babies.

Gavin scowled.

“So, who is he?” Tina pushed.

“It’s nothing serious, Ti. We’re just messing around.”

Tina grinned at him.

“I was starting to think you’d sworn of men forever, not that I blame you after what happened with— well, y’know.”

Yeah, Gavin did know and he didn’t need to be reminded about the shit show that’d been his last relationship.

“I’m just happy you’re back in the game.” 

“How’s your better half?” Gavin asked and Tina gave him a look as if to say ‘you have no idea’ and then launched into all the latest news from the Chen house, effectively changing the conversation.

It was only when Tina and Chris turned to each other, that Gavin and Connor fell into awkward silence.

“Can I ask you a question?” Connor suddenly asked and Gavin tensed.

“There’s something I wanna ask you first.”

“Oh, of course.” Connor replied brightly, and turned in his seat to face Gavin, an eagerness in his eyes. 

“What do you like?”

“Excuse me, detective, but you’re going to have to be a little more specific. I like a lot of things.”

“Do you though, or do you just like the things other people like? Like how much you like photography when you’re talking to Tina, and how you like kids when you’re talking to Chris, and how much you like baking when you’re talking to Steph on reception.”

“I do like all of those things.”

Gavin huffed a laugh.

“You sure you’re not just saying that to fit in and make friends?

“I don’t understand your point. Isn’t that what everyone does? People show an interest in other people’s interests all the time for that exact reason.”

“Yeah, but most people have interests of their own too, plastic.” Gavin said a little more aggressive than he’d intended to. “Tell me something you‘re interested in that doesn’t have anything to do with someone else’s interests. Tell me something you like, that isn’t linked to what someone else likes.”

Connor’s LED was spinning yellow.

“I like dogs.”

“You like dogs because Hank has a fucking dog.”

“That doesn’t mean I don’t like dogs.”

“If Hank had a cat, you’d like cats instead.”

Connor’s LED spun to red.

“Gavin!” Tina’s voice cut through the bar chatter, and Gavin’s head snapped around to look at her.

“I really should be going.” and Gavin’s head snapped back around to look at Connor as he slid off of the stool. “It’s been a very nice evening. Thank you, Tina, Chris.”

“Connor you don’t have to go,” Tina beseeched. “We all know Gavin’s a dick. We can all just collectively ignore him.”

“Fuck off, Ti.” Gavin growled.

“No, it isn’t — it’s just late.”

“If you’re sure?” Chris added and Connor nodded.

“Good evening, detective.” Connor muttered in his direction as he headed for the door and Tina threw a bar mat at him.

“Way to go and ruin the night, asshole.”

“All I did was ask a simple fucking question, it’s not my fault he had a meltdown.”


End file.
